59 NGOs Petition Congress

The following letter, signed by
representatives of 59 NGOs was sent to members of the U.S. House of Representatives'
International Relations Committee urging to co-sponsor and actively support a committee
vote on H.Con.Res. 258, which supports self-determination for East Timor.

September 23, 1998
U.S. Representative International Relations Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative,

The undersigned representatives of arms control, human rights, labor, religious,
veterans, and peace and justice organizations urge you to co- sponsor and actively support
a committee vote on H.Con.Res. 258. This resolution, currently assigned to both the Asia
and Pacific and Human Rights Subcommittees in International Relations, expresses House
support for an internationally supervised referendum on self-determination in East Timor.

This resolution states that the U.S. "should support an internationally supervised
referendum to determine the political status of East Timor." It further recognizes
"the need for direct Timorese participation in the United Nations-sponsored
tripartite talks" and calls upon the U.S. to "work actively, through the United
Nations and with its allies, to realize the directives of existing United Nations
resolutions on East Timor."

This resolution is very timely, given the much publicized but limited progress made in
recent UN-sponsored talks. East Timor's leaders have rejected further agreements between
Indonesia and Portugal on "limited autonomy" unless they stipulate a referendum
to follow. Bishop Carlos Belo, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate from East Timor, has recently
stated, "The people want a referendum and I'll go along with what the people
choose." In addition, confidence-building measures during any period of negotiated
autonomy leading up to a referendum must include verifiable and substantial troop
withdrawals (recent withdrawals were primarily for public relations, and were followed by
the arrival of more troops into East Timor), and the release of all political prisoners
(only 25 of some 350 have been released). Direct Timorese participation in the
negotiations on their political status is vital, and we strongly encourage the release of
jailed leader of the National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT), Xanana Gusmao, to
ensure their success.

Now is the crucial time for the House to pass H.Con.Res. 258. On July 10 of this year
the Senate unanimously passed a similar resolution. The House version of the FY 1999
Foreign Operations Appropriations bill includes language stating committee support for
"an internationally supervised referendum to determine a comprehensive settlement of
the political status of East Timor." House passage of H.Con.Res. 258 would provide
the added support necessary to move the U.S. administration into action and send an
unmistakable message to the Habibie government. For, though we applaud the beginnings of
reform in Indonesia, we also understand that this reform was bought at no small price by
the Indonesian and East Timorese peoples, and international pressure remains imperative to
ensure it continues.

Since the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975, more than 200,000 people, over one
third of East Timor's 1975 population, have been killed. Sadly, arbitrary arrest, torture,
extra-judicial execution, and disappearance remain routine Indonesian military procedure.
Each day still sees another human rights violation. Regular and systematic human rights
abuses persist, reported from East Timor, and by the East Timor Human Rights Center,
Amnesty International, and other respected international human rights organizations.

After almost 23 years of brutal occupation, the Indonesian reign of terror over East
Timor must end. These long-suffering people deserve the basic right to self-determination,
a vote, and that's all they're asking. All we're asking of you today is your
co-sponsorship and support for H.Con.Res. 258 in the committee and on the House floor.
Through this resolution you can help right a grave injustice and make a referendum in East
Timor a reality. We thank you in advance.